Category: windows 10

Users with old versions of Windows 10 should update their devices as soon as possible, as Microsoft has said it will no longer provide them with security and quality updates after tomorrow.

Released in July 2015, Windows 10 was billed as the “last” version of Microsoft’s operating system because the new OS was designed to update on an ongoing basis via the cloud. However, users of enterprise-focused versions of Windows 10 can disable automatic updates if they believe those processes might interfere with their business operations.

Meanwhile, researchers with Google’s Project Zero have warned that users of Windows 7 and 8 face potential hacking risks because they receive software updates less frequently than do Windows 10 users. The problem stems from “patch diffing,” in which hackers noting security fixes for Windows 10 have time to exploit those vulnerabilities on older versions of the OS that have not yet been updated.

In other Windows news, Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore revealed in a series of tweets yesterday that the company is effectively ending its efforts to develop the Windows 10 Mobile platform. While it will continue to provide support and updates for the mobile OS, Microsoft will instead focus on improving how its systems work on the Android and iOS mobile platforms.

Avoid Becoming ‘More Vulnerable’

According to a Microsoft support note, users running version 1511 or earlier versions of Windows 10 will stop receiving security and quality updates after tomorrow.

“Since version 1511 was released in November 2015, Microsoft has released additional feature updates that build upon each other, delivering the newest features and more comprehensive security,” the note stated. “Windows 10 was designed as a service, whereby feature updates are required a couple times a year. For most consumers, both quality and feature updates are delivered automatically according to their Windows Update settings.”

After tomorrow, devices on which those automatic updates have been disabled will still keep working. However, they could become “more vulnerable to security risks and viruses,” Microsoft added.

Microsoft said users of Windows 10 Home, Pro, Education, and Enterprise should check to see what version their devices are running. If they’re running version 1511 or earlier, they should manually update their devices to the current version, which is the Windows 10 Creators Update rolled out earlier this year. The Fall Creators Update is set to arrive on Oct. 17.

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Windows Ink has been a part of Windows 10 since late 2016. The Windows Ink Workspace is a set of apps designed for touch-enabled devices. Combined with an active stylus, or pen, you can quickly jot down notes in the Sticky Notes app, sketch ideas in the Sketchpad app, or makes notes on screenshots in the Screen Sketch app.

You don’t need to have a device with a pen, like a Surface Pro 4. You can use Windows Ink Workspace on any Windows 10 PC, with or without a touchscreen. Having a touchscreen allows you to write on the screen with your finger in the Sketchpad or Screen Sketch apps.

Here is our hands-on guide to using Windows Ink Workspace on your Windows 10 PC or device. We didn’t have a pen to test on our Windows 10 touchscreen laptop.

Open the Windows Ink Workspace

If you have a Surface Pro device, press the button on the pen to open the Windows Ink Workspace. If you’re using a Windows 10 PC with or without a touchscreen, but no pen, you may need to add the Windows Ink Workspace button to the Taskbar.

The button looks like script capital “I” and would be on the right side of the Taskbar next to the time and date. If you don’t see the button, right-click on an empty area on the Taskbar and select Show Windows Workspace button from the popup menu.

To open the Windows Ink Workspace, click the button that now appears on your Taskbar.

Jot Down Notes and Create Reminders With Sticky Notes

Sticky Notes has been part of Windows for a while, but the Windows Ink Workspace links your sticky notes to Cortana. When you enter a reference to a day or time, like “tomorrow,” you can let Cortana remind you of the event you write on the note. If you enter a flight number, Cortana will fetch the flight status from Bing. If you’re using multiple Windows devices, your Sticky Notes will be synced across them.

Here is our hands-on guide to using Windows Ink Workspace on your Windows 10 PC or device. We didn’t have a pen to test on our Windows 10 touchscreen laptop.

Open the Windows Ink Workspace

If you have a Surface Pro device, press the button on the pen to open the Windows Ink Workspace. If you’re using a Windows 10 PC with or without a touchscreen, but no pen, you may need to add the Windows Ink Workspace button to the Taskbar.

The button looks like script capital “I” and would be on the right side of the Taskbar next to the time and date. If you don’t see the button, right-click on an empty area on the Taskbar and select Show Windows Workspace button from the popup menu.

To open the Windows Ink Workspace, click the button that now appears on your Taskbar.

Jot Down Notes and Create Reminders With Sticky Notes

Sticky Notes has been part of Windows for a while, but the Windows Ink Workspace links your sticky notes to Cortana. When you enter a reference to a day or time, like “tomorrow,” you can let Cortana remind you of the event you write on the note. If you enter a flight number, Cortana will fetch the flight status from Bing. If you’re using multiple Windows devices, your Sticky Notes will be synced across them.

Click the Ruler tool on the toolbar. You’ll see a ruler display on the sketchpad at a 45-degree angle. If you have a touchscreen, you can move the ruler around with one finger and change the angle by twisting two fingers around on the ruler.

If you don’t have a touchscreen, use the mouse to click and drag the ruler around. To change the angle without a touchscreen, move the mouse cursor over the ruler and use the scroll wheel.

Once you’ve positioned the ruler, draw along the edge of the ruler with any of the drawing tools. You’ll find even if you stray away from the edge of the ruler, the line you’re drawing will stay straight.

The middle section on the toolbar allows you to turn Touch Writing on or off, undo and redo actions, and crop your sketch.

The buttons in the right section of the toolbar allow you to clear the entire sketchpad, save the sketch as a PNG file, copy the sketch to the clipboard, or share your sketch through Windows 10’s sharing center.

Close the Sketchpad using the red X button on the right side of the toolbar. Your sketch remains in the Sketchpad app until you clear it.

Annotate Screenshots With Screen Sketch

The Screen Sketch app allows you to take a screenshot of whatever’s currently on your screen and then draw on it using the same tools available in the Sketchpad app. It’s like Edge’s Ink feature, but you can draw on the entire screen, not just on a web page.

To use Screen Sketch, make sure what you want to capture is active on the screen. Then, click the Windows Ink Workspace button and click Screen Sketch.

The app captures the screen and presents it for you to write on. Use the drawing tools and the ruler to draw or write what you want using a pen, your finger, or a mouse.

You can save, copy, or share your screenshot just like you can do with sketches in the Sketchpad app.

Open a Pen-Enabled App

Recently used pen-enabled apps are listed towards the bottom of the Windows Ink Workspace, whether or not you have a pen.

For example, you can click the Edge icon.

Then use Edge’s Ink feature to write on a web page. Some of the same tools you’ll recognize from the Sketchpad and Screen Sketch app are also available in Edge’s Ink feature. You can also save and share your annotated web page.

Get More Pen-Enabled Apps

The Get more pen apps link on the Windows Ink Workspace opens the Windows Store and shows you all the apps in which you can use your pen.

Customize the Pen Settings

If you’re using a pen, you can customize it in the Windows 10 Settings app by clicking Pen & Windows Ink settings at the bottom of the Windows Ink Workspace. As we mentioned, we don’t have a pen to test, but you can learn about the Pen settings on Microsoft’s support site.

Organize Your Ideas and Life With Windows Ink

Try out the Windows Ink Workspace to take notes and create reminders for yourself, sketch your ideas, or annotate a screenshot. You can also share your sketches and screenshots with others.

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First – in many ways I actually like Microsoft’s new internet browser, Edge. It certainly is an improvement over the now retried, Internet Explorer. However Edge is a browser still in its infancy – which can make using it frustrating at times. The additional problem here is that Edge is the default browser in Windows 10.

Because Edge is the default browser in Windows 10 many people are running the browser, and many of them might run it only because Microsoft has made it the Windows 10 default. You might be one of them.

In this article, I will outline the reasons you may want to switch from Edge to Chrome (my favorite), Firefox, Opera or another browser, and then show how you can replace Edge with any browser of your choice as your default.

One last note before we dive in: Even if you’ve previously set up another browser to be your default, it might have been changed since then. When there’s a major Windows 10 upgrade, the upgrade recommends switching to Edge, and you might have inadvertently made the switch.

Why edge away from Edge?

There are plenty of reasons to move to a different browser. Start off with extensions — or more precisely, the lack of them. Edge was finally given extension support in August 2016, but even now the number of extensions is embarrassingly low — only about 65 as I write this. Chrome and Firefox each have thousands of extensions and add-ons. So if you want to improve your browser with add-ons and extensions, Edge isn’t the way to go.

If you’re a fan of Gmail, Edge isn’t the browser for you, either. Edge won’t display the Google Inbox, which is a far more efficient way to manage mail than the default Gmail interface.

Edge also has a number of awkward or just plain weird behavioral quirks. Open a new tab, for example, and there’s no address bar on it. To visit or URL or do a search, you have to type them into the search box. But when you’re visiting a site, you use the address bar. Speaking of the address bar, it doesn’t show the protocol being used on a web site, such as http or https. True, it shows a lock icon for https sites, but it’s nice to be able to see the entire address including the protocol, rather than having to look for a lock icon.

Finally, you might not want to use Edge for aesthetic reasons. Not everyone is a fan of its stripped-down look or the way it handles bookmarks and your history list — they are difficult to find, hidden under hard-to-decipher icons in out-of-the-way places. And even when you get to them, it’s not at all clear how to perform common tasks, such as adding folders or reorganizing Favorites.

How to designate another browser as your default

If you decide you want to switch to another browser as your default, it’s easy to do. You’ll need to first install the other browser on your system. After that’s done, click the Windows 10 Start button and click the Settings icon that appears on the left-hand side of the screen. (It looks like a little gear.) You can also type “settings” into the search box and click the Settings result that appears at the top of the screen.

Microsoft

In the Settings app screen, you’ll take one of two actions depending on what version of Windows 10 you’re using. If you’ve upgraded to the Windows 10 Creators Update, which was released in April 2017, select Apps > Default apps. If you haven’t yet upgraded to the Windows 10 Creators Update, you won’t see an Apps icon on the Settings screen. Instead, select Settings > System > Default apps.

On the Default apps screen, you’ll see the default apps for email, maps, playing music, viewing photos and videos, and more. To change the default browser, you’ll have to scroll down to the bottom of your screen.

Microsoft

When you get to the bottom of the screen, you’ll see Microsoft Edge under the “Web browser” listing. Click the Microsoft Edge icon and you’ll see a pop-up with a list of your installed browsers.

Microsoft

(Side note: The pop-up also has a “Look for an app in the Store” option, but if you click it, you won’t find Chrome, Firefox, Opera or any other browser you’ve likely ever heard of. Clicking it launches a search of the Windows App Store for the term “http,” which turns up a motley collection of apps, from file downloaders to an app that dims your Windows background to make it easier to view videos. There are also some little-known browsers listed, such as AeroBrowse and BlueSky Browser. Try them out if you like, but keep in mind that they’re Windows Store apps, and as a general rule, Windows Store apps are underpowered compared to desktop apps like Chrome, Firefox and Opera.)

Click the browser that you’d like to be your default browser. As you’ll see when you click it, Microsoft doesn’t particularly want you to switch. A screen appears asking you to stay with Edge.

Microsoft

Click “Switch anyway,” and your new browser will now be the default. No need to restart; your work is done.

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With all of the exciting Apple news this week I wanted to let everyone know that there is a new Windows 10 update being rolled out. Microsoft is now rolling out KB4038788 via Windows Update which bumps up the build number up to 15063.608. The update is available for Windows 10 PCs and Mobile device, and it includes a lot of fixes and security patches.

Here’s whats in the update:

Addressed issue where the color profiles do not revert to the user-specified settings after playing a full-screen game.

Updated HDR feature to be turned off by default in the OS.

Addressed issue where you can’t open the Start menu when you add a third-party IME.

Addressed issue with scanners that rely on inbox driver support.

Addressed issue in a Mobile Device Manager Enterprise feature to allow headsets to work correctly.

Addressed issue where some machines fail to load wireless WAN devices when they resume from Sleep.

Addressed issue where Windows Error Reporting doesn’t clean up temporary files when there is a redirection on a folder.

Addressed issue where revoking a certificate associated with a disabled user account in the CA management console fails. The error is “The user name or password is incorrect. 0x8007052e (WIN32: 1326 ERROR_LOGON_FAILURE)”.

Addressed issue where LSASS is leaking large amounts of memory.

Addressed issue where enabling encryption using syskey.exe renders the system unbootable.

Updated the BitLocker.psm1 PowerShell script to not log passwords when logging is enabled.

Addressed issue where saving a credential with an empty password to Credential Manager causes the system to crash when attempting to use that credential.

Updates to Internet Explorer 11’s navigation bar with search box.

Addressed issue in Internet Explorer where undo is broken if character conversion is canceled using IME.

Addressed issue with the EMIE where Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer repeatedly switched between each other.

Addressed issue where a device may stop responding for several minutes and then stop working with error 0x9F (SYSTEM_POWER_STATE_FAILURE) when a USB network adapter is attached.

Addressed issue where some apps cannot be opened because the IPHlpSvc service stops responding during the Windows boot procedure.

Addressed issue where spoolsv.exe stops working.

Addressed issue where the Get-AuthenticodeSignature cmdlet does not list TimeStamperCertificateeven though the file is time stamped.

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Do you ever walk away from your PC and wish you had locked it? Well if you ever do – I have a Windows 10 tip for you!

When Microsoft updated Windows 10 recently it added a new OS feature for Bluetooth-equipped devices. It’s called Dynamic Lock, and lets you control access to your PC based on how close you—and your Bluetooth-paired phone—are to it. That is, if the phone you’ve paired with your PC (it works for laptops, notebooks, tablets and desktops) is not found within radio range of your PC, Windows 10 turns off the screen and locks the PC after 30 seconds have elapsed. Many PC users will probably find this hidden security gem very useful.

Setting up Dynamic Lock

To begin, you must pair your phone with your Windows 10 PC.

To do this, open “Devices and Printers,” then click “Add a device.” Once the phone has been paired with your PC, you’ll see something like this under the “Devices” heading in this control panel widget (here, my iPhone is paired with my Dell Venue Pro 11 7139 hybrid tablet PC).

When a phone is paired with a Windows 10 PC, an entry like the “iPhone” item shown above appears in Devices and Printers.

Once pairing is complete, you can turn on Dynamic Lock by visiting Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Simply click the checkbox under the Dynamic Lock heading that reads “Allow Windows to detect when you’re away and automatically lock the device,” as shown in this screen snippet:

Simply click the checkbox, and you’ve enabled Dynamic Lock! From this point forward whenever you walk away from your Windows 10 PC it will automatically lock after 30 seconds!

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Starting today Microsoft is rolling out a brand new cumulative update for Windows 10 that brings several new security updates and under the hood improvements and fixes. These updates are rolling out today as part of “Patch Tuesday”.

Patch Tuesday Updates for Windows 10 (Build 15063.540)

The updates include:

Addressed issue where the policies provisioned using Mobile Device Management (MDM) should take precedence over policies set by provisioning packages.

Addressed issue where the Site to Zone Assignment List group policy (GPO) was not set on machines when it was enabled.

Addressed issue where the primary computer relationship is not determined when you have a disjoint NetBIOS domain name for your DNS Name. This prevents folder redirection and roaming profiles from successfully blocking your profile or redirects folders to a non-primary computer.

Microsoft provides one known issue for the cumulative update rolling out today: Installing this KB (4034674) may change Czech and Arabic languages to English for Microsoft Edge and other applications.

The update is rolling out to everyone on the stable version of the Windows 10 Creators Update (including Insider Release Preview) right now under the name KB4034674. Users on the Anniversary Update, November Update and original Windows 10 release are also receiving cumulative updates today too.

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How many different ways do you know to close a window in Windows? You can click the X in the upper-right corner, use the Alt + F4 shortcut, or right-click a Taskbar icon and choose Close window. But did you know there’s an old relic hanging out in Windows 10 that’s been around for decades?

In any Windows version, you can double-click in the upper-left corner of the title bar to close a window. For many programs, the spot you’ll need to click is marked by the app’s icon. This menu actually contains several other commands, like Restore, Move, and Minimize.

You can also activate this menu in any open app by pressing Alt + Space or by right-clicking the title bar.

Because keyboard shortcuts and newer Windows versions offer better ways to perform these functions, most people have forgotten about this menu. Probably its most useful function is the Move command, which lets you click and drag to slide a window around.

This comes in particularly handy when apps disappear off-screen — anyone who uses a laptop with a dock will know this annoyance. The Move command instantly snaps your mouse to the title bar of the affected app, so you don’t have to hunt around for it.

Most people probably don’t use this menu often, but it’s a neat trick to keep in your pocket. It’s fun to see what’s left over from Windows versions of old, and the Move command might save you some stress in the future!

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It’s Patch Tuesday, which means almost all versions of Windows 10 are getting new cumulative updates. This includes the latest and greatest version of Windows 10, the Creators Update (version 1703), and even the original version of Windows 10. The new cumulative updates for Windows 10 includes fixes related to security and some minor bugs.

As for the Creators Update, Microsoft is releasing Windows 10 Build 15063.413 for PCs and Build 15063.414 for Mobile devices. The build includes security updates for some of the core components of Windows, and it also includes a fix for the lock screen on Windows 10. Here’s the full changelog:

Addressed issue where the user may need to press the space bar to dismiss the lock screen on a Windows 10 machine to log in, even after the logon is authenticated using a companion device.

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Another quiet week in the tech world gives us some more time for actual technology tips. Lets look at some keyboard shortcuts you can use to make your life easier with Microsoft’s Windows.

High Contrast: SHIFT + ALT + PRINT

In its default setting, this shortcut opens a warning window before applying any changes. Click Yes or simply hit Return to switch to the high contrast setting.

This will enlarge the font on all open windows and change colors to high contrast. For example, the desktop will turn black, what was black text on white background before will be reversed. Clicking the same key combination again reverts the changes.

Switch Between Open Windows: ALT + TAB

This keyboard shortcut launches a layover window that shows all open programs. Hold onto the ALT key and click the TAB key to move to the next application. Release both keys to open the selected window.

You can reverse the direction by holding ALT + SHIFT while pressing the TAB key.

Delete Without Confirmation: SHIFT + DEL

Do you hate these nagging windows asking you whether you really want to do this or that. If you want to quickly delete something, without being harrassed for a confirmation, use this shortcut.

Do you want to make the instant delete route your default setting? Right click the Recycle Bin on your desktop, select Properties, and remove the checkmark next to Display delete confirmation dialog.

Show Desktop / Restore Open Windows: Windows key + D

Rather than moving your mouse into the bottom right corner of your screen to see your desktop, press this keyboard shortcut. Press it again to restore your windows exactly as they were before.

Lock System: Windows key + L

You should never leave your desktop unattended. Before you head out to the loo or to grab another coffee, press this keyboard shortcut to lock your system. When you return and log back in, all programs and windows will appear the way you left them.

This is one complex chain of commands. But if you manage to do it right, you’ll have instant Administrator access to the command prompt.

Unfortunately, this shortcut doesn’t seem to work anymore as of the Windows 10 Creators Update. Alternatively, press Windows key + X to open the Quick Access Menu, then use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to move the Command Prompt (Admin) entry, and hit ENTER.

Shut Down: Windows key + X, U, I / U / R / H / S

You can shut Windows down with a few button clicks. It all starts with Windows key + X to open the Quick Access Menu, followed by the U key to expand the Shut down or sign out options. Finally, press I to sign out, U to shut down, R to restart, H to hibernate, and S to sleep.

Create Your Own Desktop Keyboard Trick

Are there folders or applications you need a lot? Why not create your own keyboard shortcut to quickly access these tools.

Note: This will only work for shortcuts located on your desktop!

First you need to create an actual desktop shortcut. In Windows 10, this has become a little more tricks. Right-click on the application in its program folder or send it from the Start Menu to the Taskbar and SHIFT + right-click its Taskbar icon, then select Create Shortcut from the context menu.

Make sure the shortcut sits on your desktop. Now right-click the shortcut and select Properties. You should see a line that says Shortcut Key: None. Click that line and then click a letter on your keyboard, for example P. This will create a shortcut, here CTRL + ALT + P.

And there you go, now you have your own personal shortcut key.

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Life is good. Microsoft Edge is your new default web browsing experience on Windows 10, and it offers a new streamlined interface, speed improvements, and a lot of new features, including the ability to open PDF files. However there is where a problem emerges for some of us.

While the PDF reader is a convenient feature, it currently only offers some basic functionalities, and out-of-the-box, Windows 10 makes it your default system PDF reader whether you like it or not. If you prefer to use a more advanced application, such as SumatraPDF, Xodo, or Adobe Acrobat Reader, or after a Windows 10 upgrade your settings aren’t preserved, you may want to change your settings to disable Microsoft Edge as your default PDF reader every time you open a file.

Lets walk through the steps to change your system settings to stop opening PDF files in the web browser by default.

How to disable Microsoft Edge as default PDF reader

In order to disable Microsoft Edge’s PDF feature, you need to change the file association, which you can do with the following steps:

Using the Settings app

Open Settings.

Click on Apps.

Click on Default apps.

Note: If you’re still running the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the path is Settings > System > Default apps.

Click the Choose default apps by file type link.

Scroll down and find .pdf (PDF File), and click the button on the right side, which is likely to read “Microsoft Edge.”

Select your app from the list to set it as the new default.

Click the Switch anyway link to confirm the change.

Once you completed the steps, Microsoft Edge will no longer open PDF files by default in the web browser.

Using the file context menu

Alternatively, you can quickly make another app as your default PDF reader, using the following steps:

Right-click a PDF file.

Select Open With.

Click on Choose another app.

Select the PDF application you want to use.

Check the Always use this app to open .pdf files option.

Click OK.

If you don’t see the app you want to use in the list, click the More apps link at the bottom of the list. You can also click the Look for another app on this PC to find the PDF application you want to set as default.

2016 PTI CIO & Leadership Summit

What I Am Reading

At the age of forty-eight, Cicero—the greatest orator of his time—is in exile, his power sacrificed on the altar of his principles. The only way to return to Rome is to pledge his support to a charismatic and dangerous enemy: Julius Caesar. Harnessing his political cunning, unrivalled intellect, and the sheer brilliance of his words, Cicero fights his way back to prominence. Yet no public figure is completely safeguarded against the unscrupulous ambition of others.

Riveting and tumultuous, Dictator encompasses the most epic events in ancient history, including the collapse of the Roman Republic, the murder of Pompey, and the assassination of Caesar. But its central question is a timeless one: how to keep political freedom unsullied by personal gain, vested interests, and the corrosive effects of ceaseless foreign wars. In Robert Harris’s indelible portrait, Cicero is a deeply fascinating hero for his own time and for ours.

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Data Struggles With Windows Too

We all have a "love - hate" relationship with technology, Even Star Trek's Data gets frustrated when Windows misbehaves.